Operations, Marketing, and Compliance

This unit develops the operational, regulatory, and customer-engagement systems needed to run a restaurant. Students learn to create policies and service-recovery plans, secure permits and financing, acquire equipment and service support, design payment and pest-control systems, and implement marketing, website, and social media strategies. It builds on foundational culinary and management skills and prepares learners to implement a full operational plan in the capstone unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze local market conditions, competition, and neighborhood factors to inform site decisions, menu format, pricing, and promotional strategies
• Apply regulatory, safety, and risk-management requirements by identifying necessary permits and licenses, implementing pest-control and customer/staff protection procedures, and ensuring compliant payment-processing practices
• Demonstrate operational readiness by developing staffing and benefits plans (including considerations for hiring foreign nationals), sourcing kitchen and service equipment, and establishing written policies and service-recovery protocols
• Evaluate and deploy customer-engagement and marketing tools by creating an advertising plan, website and social media strategy, feedback and review systems, and tactics to convert dissatisfied guests into repeat customers